Expert Analysis

• What Associates Need To Know Before Switching Law Firms

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  The days of staying at the same firm for the duration of one's career are mostly a thing of the past as lateral moves by lawyers are commonplace, but there are several obstacles that associates should consider before making a move, say attorneys at HWG.

• Cybersecurity Priorities For Remote Workplace Management

  

  With work from home as the new normal, the quest for productivity presents cybersecurity issues including insider threats and email phishing scams, leaving company management with the task of employing various strategies to ward off such significant, increasing threats while the landscape continues to evolve, says Anjali Das at Wilson Elser.

• Employers Need Clarity On FLSA Joint Employer Liability

  

  A judicial patchwork of multifactor tests to determine joint employment liability has led to unpredictable results, and only congressional action or enactment of a uniform standard to which courts will consistently defer can give employers the clarity needed to structure their relationships with workers, say attorneys at Seyfarth.

• A Case For Sharing Mediation Statements With Counterparties

  

  In light of a potential growing mediation trend of only submitting statements to the mediator, litigants should think critically about the pros and cons of exchanging statements with opposing parties as it could boost the chances of reaching a settlement, says Arthur Eidelhoch at Eidelhoch Mediation.

• Calif. Independent Contractor Lessons From Grubhub Suit

  

  California courts have been creating little in the way of clarity when it comes to the employment status of gig workers — and a recent federal court decision in Lawson v. Grubhub illustrates how status may change with the winds of litigation, offering four takeaways for businesses that rely on delivery drivers, say Esra Hudson and Marah Bragdon at Manatt.

• Recent DOJ Setback Unlikely To Shift Labor Antitrust Focus

  

  A Connecticut federal judge's recent toss of an aerospace no-poach prosecution in a rare Rule 29 order is unlikely to derail the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division's ongoing efforts to criminally prosecute conduct affecting workers' compensation and job mobility, say attorneys at Perkins Coie.

• Working From Home? Beware Insider Trading, Tipping Risks

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has recently pursued traders who received material nonpublic information from loved ones while working from home, so those with work secrets should take extra precautions and inform family and friends of insider trading risks, say Dixie Johnson and Lauren Konczos at King & Spalding.

• NLRB GC Memos Complicate Labor Law Compliance

  

  Policy memoranda from National Labor Relations Board General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo outlining new interpretations of the National Labor Relations Act create compliance dilemmas for employer counsel, who must review not only established law, but also statements that may better predict how the board will decide future questions, says Daniel Johns at Cozen O'Connor.

• Preparing For Legal Scrutiny Of Data Retention Policies

  

  Two recent cases involving Google and Meta should serve as a call to action for companies to ensure their data retention policies are updated and properly implemented to the degree of being able to withstand judicial scrutiny, especially as more data is generated by emerging technologies, say Jack Kallus and Labeed Choudhry at Kaufman Dolowich.

• NLRB Order May Mean Harsher Remedies For Labor Violations

  

  The National Labor Relations Board's recent ruling against a Nebraska meat processor, ordering an expanded range of remedies for the employer's repeated labor law violations, signals the NLRB's willingness to impose harsh remedies more frequently, in the full spectrum of unfair labor practice litigation, say Eric Stuart and Zachary Zagger at Ogletree.

• Labor Collusion Loss Will Shape DOJ's Case Strategy

  

  Following the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent loss in United States v. Manahe, tallying its trial score record to 0-3 in labor-related antitrust cases over the past year, defendants can expect that the DOJ will try to exclude defense evidence and argue for more favorable jury instructions, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

• Prepare For Federal Agency Scrutiny On AI Discrimination

  

  A recent joint statement highlights several federal regulatory agencies' intent to scrutinize organizations' use of artificial intelligence technology under their existing mandates, so companies that build or use such systems should carefully ensure legal compliance to avoid potential bias and discrimination issues, say Tara Emory, Mike Kearney and Nick Snavely at Redgrave.

• Navigating The New ESG Whistleblower Landscape

  

  Companies and funds have recently been under increased scrutiny by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and its ESG task force for their treatment of whistleblowers, so they should take steps to encourage a culture of internal disclosure and ensure they aren't impeding those coming forward to report wrongdoing, say Josh Margolin and Liam Murphy at Selendy Gay.

• Opinion

  Attorneys Should Have An Ethical Duty To Advance DEI

  

  National and state bar associations are encouraging attorneys to apply diversity, equity and inclusion practices in the legal profession and beyond, and these associations should take it one step further by formally recognizing ethical duties for attorneys to promote DEI, which could better the legal profession and society, says Elena Mitchell at Moore & Van Allen.

• Data-Driven Insights Are Key To Attracting Today's Clients

  

  As law firm growth slows and competition for clients increases, modern firms must rely on robust data analytics to develop the sector-based expertise and industry insights that clients increasingly prioritize in relationships with counsel, says Lavinia Calvert at Intapp.